Uchinuki is satisfying wide-ranging needs as a manufacturer devoted to perforated metal field.

Supply of products to major consumer electronics manufacturers

Perforated metals are widely used in daily necessities and industrial applications. Now I introduce some representative applications. Regarding indoor applications, perforated metals are widely used for electric equipment and acoustic equipment.

Products for which perforated metal is most often used are speaker covers. The countless metal holes of old-type speaker cover created a mechanical impression, but nowadays, demand for semipermeable screen-type speaker covers whose holes do not look like holes is increasing.

Using its original molding technique, Uchinuki is realizing a processing method aimed at the production of speaker covers whose micro holes are as small as 0.5 mm x 0.75 mm. A speaker cover is not only a part for covering speaker front but also a design product for emphasizing the character of speaker. Therefore, just having holes is not the only requirement of a speaker cover.

To keep the beautiful appearance of a speaker cover, holes punched with precision and without burr, precise and regular feed speed, product flatness and flawlessness are necessary. With its original technology satisfying such necessities, Uchinuki is providing its products to major consumer electronics manufacturers and acoustic equipment manufacturers.

Uchinuki calls the punching of less than 1 mm micro-level holes "micro punching." Normally, lengthwise (feed direction) trimming is difficult in micro punching. However, Uchinuki is manufacturing speaker covers using its original technique for four-side trimming.

Applications spreading to servers and microwave ovens

In response to the expanding international cloud-based connections, demand for server centers is increasing in each country. Various perforated metals are used for such servers. Typically, the hole area rates of perforated metals range from 40 to 60%, but perforated metals used for servers, which require heat dissipation, require a hole area rate of 80%. Uchinuki is making full use of its original metal mold technology for processing with high hole area rate, non-skipping punching (*) and four-side trimming and therefore has many past records of producing perforated metals for server racks (* see the technical information page for skipping and non-skipping punching).

Perforated metal is also used for the door panel of household microwave oven. A sheet-like perforated metal attached inside microwave oven blocks microwaves and makes it easy to see the inside. Unlike the perforated metal of a speaker cover, the presence of perforated metal in microwave oven is not obvious but it supports behind-the-scene the important function of microwave oven.

Perforated metals widely used in building exteriors

Perforated metals are very popular also in the field of building exteriors, such as panels used in collective housing's verandas and in exterior stairways, exterior decorative panels used for their renewal, panels surrounding a multi-story parking lot and exterior fences. Before the Product Liability Law (PL Law) took effect, the major hole size of punched metals in this field was 10φ (10 mm). But after it took effect, the hole size range became 5φ (5 mm) to 8φ (8 mm). This change was intended to prevent injury by accidentally putting a finger into a punched hole.

A punched metal blocks visibility from its oblique direction (its opposite side becomes invisible). Utilizing this characteristic, perforated metals used in exterior stairway or veranda handrail prevents peeking from below. Major materials used for perforated metals include aluminum and stainless steel. Particularly aluminum is used because of its light weight.

Normally, exterior panels are visible both from inside and outside of building. Handrail panel and fence are often touched by people. Therefore, less burr and flatness are required for them. In the case of the decorative processing of two surfaces, no scratch on either surface is important. Using its metal mold technology and quality management knowhow acquired for many years, Uchinuki is providing customers with perforated metals that satisfy their needs.